Her interiors are glamorous, yet practical; sophisticated, yet relaxed. She strikes the perfect balance. I’m talking about A-list interior designer, Windsor Smith. She is simply one of the best in the business and so it’s no surprise that her first book, HOMEFRONT (Rizzoli) is absolutely fantastic. Filled with over 200 inspiring images, Smith walks through her process for creating beautiful, functional spaces from design intuition to the home in balance. In the book’s introduction, she explains her goal is to “design beautiful rooms for the way people today actually use them, regardless of their intended purpose, breaking the rules as to how a room ‘should’ function.” Her approach of creating livable spaces in every corner of the home resonates with me. Take a look at just some of the gorgeous images that grace the pages of this book and I think you’ll agree too.

A home in balance is masculine and feminine, antique and modern, light and dark, austere and glam, rustic and sophisticated – all these things in perfect harmony. – Windsor Smith

I’m like an unruly child when it comes to design. There’s always a point where I say: “What if this weren’t the dining room?” – Windsor Smith

Today I’m thrilled to share a very personal space: my home. Recently I welcomed a favorite online shelter magazine, Rue to take a tour of our ranch-style home located on the San Francisco Peninsula. The design has been a work in progress for over a decade (I’m never really done!). When we first moved in we tackled renovating the kitchen, bathrooms and landscaping front & back. In the last year as you may know, we added a master bedroom suite. Here’s a look…

I hope you enjoyed a little peak into my home – pop over to Rue Magazine to see the entire feature. And a big thank you to the Rue team including Crystal Palecek (founder/editor-in-chief), Julia Robbs (photographer) and Shoko Wanger (writer) who made the whole process so fun. You’re the best!

Glamorous. The one word I’d use to describe the Living Room designed by Phillip Silver in this year’s San Francisco Decorator Showcase. The space was inspired by the 60s glam of Yves Saint Laurent and the luxurious high-end fashion trends hitting New York, Paris and London. The hot pink and burnt orange accents (colors of YSL’s “Rive Gauche” label) pop in the otherwise neutral space. Phillip’s own beautiful custom furnishings are found throughout the room (the lucite coffee tables are a great example – love!) and are intermixed with Italian and French antiques. This space is simply stunning. I hope you have the chance to tour it!

This year’s San Francisco Decorator Showcase is a beautiful Elizabethan-style home designed by iconic architect Julia Morgan (notable works include the legendary Hearst Castle and became the first woman to be awarded the American Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal). The residence located on Jackson street in the prestigious Presidio Heights neighborhood, was completed in 1917 for $20,000 for Abraham Rosenberg, the “Dried Fruit King” and his wife, Alice.

In the last few months, thirty-eight Bay Area interior designers have transformed the six bedroom, eight bath home for the San Francisco University High School’s 38th annual Decorator Showcase. Gorgeous light fixtures, exquisite furnishings and extraordinary wallcoverings had me visiting spaces more than once on my tour. Here’s a sneak peek of the showcase: